Visual privacy garment

ABSTRACT

A ladies&#39; visual privacy garment presents a smooth appearance over the vaginal area. The garment comprises clothing having a crotch portion provided with a layer of thin, flexible semi-rigid material that presents a smooth outer surface and overlies the vaginal area of the wearer, and a second layer of absorbent material.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No.12/352,308, filed Jan. 12, 2009.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a ladies garment and, more particularly, to agarment having a crotch construction that provides visual privacy.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In the design of panties worn under clothing for women, effort is madeto provide a smooth appearance. In the normal course of wear, theclothing may creep up and tighten about the crotch area. A problem ispresented, however, in the design of tight fitting clothing, which maybe worn in various environments such as a workout at a gymnasium orevening wear that compliments and emphasizes the female figure. Garmentsthat are too tight or which creep up may present a cameltoe appearance,particularly if the garment has a central seam that tightly overlies thelabia majora. Although a fashionable appearance is desired, the cameltoeeffect is not desired as part of a high fashion appearance.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In an embodiment of the present invention, the aforementioned problem ofvisual privacy is addressed by providing a garment having a crotchportion extending upwardly at the front of the garment to provide apanel of material which, when the garment is worn, overlies the vaginalarea of the wearer. The garment may be constructed with a first innerlayer at the area of concern of thin, flexible semi-rigid material thatpresents a smooth outer surface, and a second layer of absorbentmaterial overlying the inner surface of the first layer and secured tothe crotch portion of the garment, thereby providing the wearer with acomfortable garment that presents a smooth appearance over the vaginalarea.

In another aspect of the invention, the first layer, though flexible,has minimal memory and thus assures that a smooth appearance may bemaintained.

Another aspect of the present invention may be to provide the firstlayer with perforations therein to allow air flow and reduce moisture tothereby maintain the normal shape and fit of the garment.

Yet another aspect of the present invention may be to provide a firstlayer that may be composed of a thin neoprene material having a patternof small holes therethrough that present perforations to allow air flowand reduce moisture in the crotch area. The second layer may comprise amicrofilic fiber material overlying the inner surface of the first layerto absorb moisture and provide the wearer with a comfortable garmentthat presents a smooth surface over the vaginal area.

Other advantages and aspects of this invention will become apparent fromthe following description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, wherein is set forth by way of illustration and example, anembodiment of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view of a thong undergarment embodying theimprovements of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a rear view of the thong of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, detail view of a frontal portion ofthe garment showing the construction thereof.

FIG. 4 is a view illustrating the garment as worn and showing certainhidden features in broken lines.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring initially to FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, a ladies' low-rise thong 10 isillustrated as exemplary of the visual privacy garment of the presentinvention, but is illustrative only as the teachings of the presentinvention apply to a full-back panty and other undergarments andtight-fitting clothing, such as swimming suits and exercise clothing,for example, that may result in an undesirable cameltoe appearance. Inthe illustrated embodiment, the thong 10 comprises a generallytriangularly shaped front panel 12 which tapers to a rear strap 14extending from the crotch of the garment area to a waistband 16 at therear of the garment, thereby defining a typical thong configuration asillustrated on the wearer in FIG. 4. At the bottom of the thong whenworn, the strap 14 underlies the labia majora and, absent the teachingsof the present invention, can result in an undesired cameltoeappearance.

Particularly in the enlarged, fragmentary, interior view of FIG. 3 wherethe material may be laid flat, it may be seen that the leg openings aredefined by a hem 18 on each side of the panel 12, thereby presenting agenerally triangular, lower frontal portion of the panel 12 having aninner layer 20 of absorbent material attached thereto at the hems 18 andby a line of stitching 21 that defines a horizontal, finished edgesecured to the front panel 12. The layer 20, therefore, presents alining extending over the crotch from stitching 21 to a narrow end 22that, when the thong 10 is worn, may be located above the base of thebuttocks, as may be appreciated from the rear view of the thong shown inFIG. 2. The crotch lining may be secured to the thong 10 by the spacedhems 18, but other methods of attachment may be used.

A layer of thin, flexible, semi-rigid material 24 having an outersurface may be sandwiched between the panel 12 and the absorbent layer20 and may be provided with a plurality of perforations 26 which, in theillustrated embodiment, comprise three rows of three perforations 26 andthree additional spaced perforations therebelow spaced to accommodatethe triangular configuration of the panel 24. The outer surface ispreferably smooth, but may include other textures or designs. A line ofstitching 28 along each lateral edge of the layer 24 essentially followsthe lines of the hem 18 and secures the layer 24 in place. Other methodsof attachment may be used such as a thermal set or various adhesives tosecure layer 24 in place. Preferably, layer 24 may be comprised of aneoprene material having a thickness of approximately 0.001 to 0.1 inchso as to provide a flexible, semi-rigid panel having minimal memory andwhich will thus conform only to the general shape of the underlying bodyof the wearer. Accordingly, the cameltoe may be covered as the neoprenematerial smooths out any lumps and bumps of the underlying anatomy toprovide a smooth appearance even though the thong 20 may creep up inuse, as is common if the wearer is active.

The inner layer 20 may be composed of a microfilic fiber for a highabsorption to provide the garment with quick-drying qualities tomaintain the user dry and comfortable. The inner layer 20 may also beprovided with an antimicrobial finish that inhibits the growth of odorcausing bacteria so that odors are not retained after washing.

In use, the first layer of protection to the wearer is the layer 24which may be preferably neoprene with a thickness of 1/32 to 1/16 inch,perforated with a number of holes 26 as illustrated and described above,for example. Neoprene may be utilized since it has minimal memory andthus will not conform to the underlying ridges and cavity that may bepresented by a cameltoe. Other may, of course, be used, and thethickness would be dependent upon the particular material utilized. Asecond layer of protection may be provided by the inner layer 20 thatprovides comfort and reduces odor as set forth above.

Although the present invention is illustrated on a thong-type garment,it should be understood that it is equally applicable to shorts,swimming suits, exercise clothing and other types and styles of garmentshaving a low rise or which are otherwise styled such that a cameltoeappearance may result when the garment is worn.

Accordingly, it should be understood that while certain forms of theinvention have been illustrated and described, it is not limited theretoexcept insofar as such limitations are included in the following claims.

1. A visual privacy garment comprising: a garment having a crotchportion and a front a panel which, when the garment is worn, overliesthe vaginal area of the wearer, and a first layer of material on saidpanel presenting an outer surface, whereby to provide the wearer with acomfortable garment that presents a smooth appearance over the vaginalarea.
 2. The invention as set forth in claim 1 comprising a second layerof material overlying an inner surface of the first layer and secured tosaid crotch portion.
 3. The invention as set forth in claim 2, whereinsaid second layer is comprised of microphilic fiber.
 4. The invention asset forth in claim 1, wherein said first layer has minimal memory. 5.The invention as set forth in claim 1, wherein said first layer hasperforations therein.
 6. The invention as set forth in claim 1, whereinsaid first layer is a neoprene material.
 7. The invention as set forthin claim 1, wherein said first layer has a thickness of approximately0.001 to 0.1 inch.
 8. The invention as set forth in claim 1, whereinsaid outer surface is smooth.
 9. A visual privacy garment comprising: agarment having leg openings and a crotch portion between said openingsextending upwardly at a front of the garment to provide a panel ofmaterial which, when the garment is worn, overlies the vaginal area ofthe wearer, a first inner layer of thin, flexible semi-rigid material onsaid panel having minimal memory and presenting an outer surface, and asecond layer of material overlying an inner surface of the first layerand secured to said crotch portion, whereby to provide the wearer with acomfortable garment that presents a smooth appearance over the vaginalarea.
 10. The garment as set forth in claim 9, wherein said first layerincludes a pattern of small holes therethrough presenting perforationsto allow air flow and reduce moisture.
 11. The garment as set forth inclaim 9, wherein said second layer is an absorbent material.
 12. Thegarment as set forth in claim 9 wherein said second layer is amicrophilic fiber material.
 13. The garment as claimed in claim 9,wherein said outer surface is generally smooth.
 14. The invention as setforth in claim 9, wherein said first layer has a thickness ofapproximately 0.001 to 0.1 inch.